This invention relates generally to a heating system and more particularly to a heating system combining a furnace, heat pump and solar energy subsystem.
The present energy crisis has resulted in a massive effort to develop heating systems for homes and buildings which are more efficient than the conventional fossil fuel furnace systems. Solar energy systems, for example, have been extensively studied. Unfortunately, the equipment necessary to collect, store and transform sunlight into usable power on a continuing, large scale remains prohibitively expensive.
Another path taken in this developmental effort has been the combination of known heating elements or components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,998 discloses a combination furnace-heat pump unit. A control mechanism coordinates operation of the furnace and heat pump.